The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has announced that the total energy output from utility-scale wind farms in the U.S. has reached the 50,000 megawatt milestone. Those utility-scale wind farms are located in 39 states. Adding the energy output from all the residential and community-scale wind turbines would considerably increase that total energy output.
To put that 50,000 megawatts in perspective, that is enough energy to power nearly 13 million U.S. homes – or the equivalent of all the homes in Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Nevada, Virginia and Wisconsin. The rate of increase of the U.S. wind energy generating capacity has been breath-taking. The total generating capacity was 10,000 megawatts in 2006, but had more than doubled to 25,000 megawatts by 2008 and doubled again in 2012.
With those types of increases in wind energy generating capacity, the reasonable presumption would be that the government would do whatever it could to promote continued expansion of that jobs-creating, energy security-enhancing industry. Uh, no.
The Production Tax Credit (PTC), which has helped to drive the spectacular growth in wind energy generating capacity, is scheduled to expire at the end of the year. The extension of the PTC is in doubt, because it is caught in the usual moronic political gamesmanship in Washington.
For more information about the milestone, please the see the AWEA announcement.
Mark H. Witte is a strong proponent for energy efficiency and renewable energy, and believes individuals should have more control over how the energy for their homes is produced.
Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) figures show that 2007 recorded an increase of installed capacity of 20 GW, taking the total installed wind energy capacity to 94 GW, up from 74 GW in 2006. Despite constraints facing supply chains for wind turbines, the annual market for wind continued to increase at an estimated rate of 37%, following 32% growth in 2006. In terms of economic value, the wind energy sector has become one of the important players in the energy markets, with the total value of new generating equipment installed in 2007 reaching €25 billion, or US $36 billion.
Wind power in California has doubled in capacity since 2002. With a total of nearly 4,000 megawatts installed, as of the end of 2011, wind energy now supplies about 5% of California’s total electricity needs, or enough to power more than 400,000 households. In 2011, 921.3 megawatts were installed. Most of that activity occurred in the Tehachapi area of Kern County, with some big projects in Solano, Contra Costa and Riverside counties as well. After 2012. California now ranks second nationwide in terms of capacity, behind Texas with a capacity of 5,549 MW.
When a boat lifts a sail, it is using wind energy to push it through the water. This is one form of work.